Explainers News - Page 24

Can Bangladesh’s Islamists lead the nation?

With Hasina’s Awami League being dissolved, the Bangladesh election is widely seen as a two-way race between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Jamaat-e-Islami, which is heading up an 11-party alliance. But can the Islamists lead the nation?

Aiming for the Moon: Why Musk wants to build AI satellite factory on lunar surface

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, wants to build an AI satellite factory on the Moon. The development comes as his tech company xAI has witnessed a raft of exits over the past few weeks. So, what’s going on?

'Vande Mataram' & 'Jana Gana Mana': What makes India’s national song different from national anthem?

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed that 'Vande Mataram' will be sung before the national anthem, 'Jana Gana Mana', at all government events. India has marked 150 years of its national song, penned by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. Here’s what makes the two special

Meloni and Merz: Is a new Italy-Germany axis leading the European Union?

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are deepening cooperation on trade, defence and EU competitiveness, challenging the traditional Franco-German leadership model. As France struggles with political headwinds, Rome and Berlin appear increasingly aligned in steering Europe’s future agenda

How Macron’s viral ‘for sure’ moment at Davos has inspired a wine label

'For sure' are the two impromptu words from French President Emmanuel Macron's famous speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, that took the internet by storm. Now, the catchphrase has been turned into a rose wine tribute at the Wine Paris 2026 trade fair, which Macron described as 'brilliant'

How French teacher sexually assaulted 89 minors across 9 countries, including India

Jacques Leveugle has been charged with the rape and sexual assault of dozens of minors in multiple countries, including India, over decades. Some of the cases date back to the 1960s

'Treated worse than a piece of toilet paper': What Pakistan defence minister’s remarks reveal about see-saw ties with US

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has openly criticised the country’s past alignment with the United States, stating that the latter treated Pakistan 'worse than a piece of toilet paper'. The remarks come as ties warmed under Donald Trump’s second term. From the 2025 India-Pakistan ceasefire to crypto deals, is Islamabad now recalibrating its Washington strategy?

Why are Indian farmers protesting trade deal with US?

Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella group of farmers’ associations, has called for ‘Bharat Bandh’ on Thursday (February 12) to protest against the interim trade agreement between India and the US. Under the deal, New Delhi will reduce or eliminate tariffs on a wide range of US food and agricultural products. But why has this left Indian farmers anxious?

What is the July Charter at the centre of Bangladesh elections?

Bangladesh is set to vote in its first parliamentary elections since ousting Sheikh Hasina's 15-year rule. The July National Charter is a comprehensive framework designed to dismantle the ‘autocratic structures’ of the past

Why Bangladesh’s BNP wants voters to offer namaz at polling booths

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Tarique Rahman has asked party members and voters to offer Fajr namaz (dawn prayers) at polling booths during the 13th national parliamentary election tomorrow (February 12). Here is why

The tragic tale of a woman killed by her father over a 'Trump argument'

Lucy Harrison was shot dead by her father, Kris, on January 10. Her boyfriend claims that she was upset over her father's stance on political issues, especially his support to US President Donald Trump. Here's exactly what happened

3 hours to pull down posts and more: How India is cracking down on deepfakes

The Centre on Tuesday (February 10) notified the amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. Under the new rules, social media platforms will have to mandatorily label AI-generated content. They will also have only a three-hour window to remove objectionable content once flagged

How 5 Pan card changes in draft income tax rules could impact daily transactions

The government has proposed significant revisions to the circumstances in which individuals must provide their Permanent Account Number (Pan) for routine financial transactions. The draft Income Tax Rules 2026 propose higher Pan-quoting thresholds for cash deposits, motor vehicle and property transactions, hotel and event payments

Anthropic vs Anthropic: Why is a Karnataka start-up suing the US AI giant?

A Karnataka-based company named Anthropic has filed a lawsuit against US AI firm Anthropic PBC, alleging trademark infringement and brand confusion after the American company’s India expansion. The case, now before a Karnataka court, comes as global AI giants enter India’s booming tech market

Canada’s Tumbler Ridge school attack: How mass shootings are rare in the country

Ten people, including the gunman, died after a mass shooting took place at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia. This is the deadliest school shooting in Canada since the attack in Montreal in 1989

Nancy Guthrie case: Have investigators finally solved the mystery of abduction?

Newly recovered FBI surveillance footage shows a masked individual tampering with the doorbell camera of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of US TV anchor Savannah Guthrie, hours before she was reported missing in Tucson. With a detention, ransom emails, and a $50,000 reward now in play, the high-profile abduction case has taken a dramatic turn

What’s the Exile Act, a law to end H-1B visas in US? How will it hurt Indians?

Greg Steube, a Republican lawmaker, has introduced legislation, titled Exile Act, in the US Congress, seeking to end the H-1B visa programme. If passed, this legislation has serious implications for Indians, who make up the largest share of H-1B visa holders

JD Vance deletes 'Armenia genocide' post. Why does this phrase matter so much?

US Vice President JD Vance uploaded a social media post following his visit to Armenia's official national monument with the caption 'Armenian genocide'. The use of the term raised eyebrows leading his team to the delete the post. The US government has historically not recognised what happened in Armenia during the Ottoman Empire as a 'genocide' out of fear of alienating present-day Turkey

FirstUp: Israel's Netanyahu to meet Trump and other big news of the day

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet US President Donald Trump in Washington today (February 11). It will be their sixth meeting since Trump returned to office a year ago. Meanwhile, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri is expected to take the witness stand in the landmark social media addiction trial in Los Angeles

How political violence continues to haunt Bangladesh elections

With days to go before the long-awaited Bangladesh political polls on February 12, the country has witnessed a fresh round of violence with 40 people being injured. Unfortunately, this is nothing new

Why US-Bangladesh trade deal poses challenges for India

Bangladesh’s trade deal with the United States will see tariffs reduced to 19 per cent. The US will also impose zero duty on textiles and apparel from Bangladesh using American cotton. This could be a double whammy for India. Here’s how

How smart glasses have become a tool for ‘manfluencers’ to secretly exploit women

Smart glasses are the new technology that is emerging as a tool to harass women online. So-called ‘manfluencers’ are covertly recording women while trying to pick them up and posting their videos on social media without consent

Is Gen-Z less intelligent than millennials?

Dr Jared Cooney Horvath, a former teacher-turned-neuroscientist, revealed that Gen-Z has become the first generation ever to score lower than the generation before it. According to Horvath, the cause is directly linked to the growing use of what he calls 'educational technology' or edtech

Ghislaine Maxwell pleaded the fifth before US Congress: What does it mean?

Ghislaine Maxwell refused to answer questions during a US congressional deposition, invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Her silence sparked criticism from Democrats as well as Republicans, as the US Congress works to expose Epstein’s abuse network

When should you text after a first date? What science reveals

It’s a big dating dilemma: What should you text after the first day? Now, research reveals that you should wait until the next morning

Why the Bhumjaithai Party’s win signals a big shift in Thai politics

Anutin Chanvirakul's Bhumjaithai Party secured 193 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives, positioning it to form the next government with the help of coalition partners. A conservative party has won the most seats in a general election in Thailand for the first time in the 21st century

Meta, YouTube on trial in US over harm to children. Could this change social media use?

A landmark case against social media giants Meta and YouTube has begun in Los Angeles. In opening arguments, the plaintiff’s lawyers argued that the firms didn’t just build apps, they built traps’. This is the first of several high-profile legal cases against social media this year, which could reshape the way Big Tech engages with children

Ghaziabad sisters' suicide: Baby in Yellow to Evil Nun, the horror game apps that UP police want banned

Police in Ghaziabad have written to the Uttar Pradesh government seeking a ban on five online gaming apps after the suicide of three minor sisters. According to police, the five apps named in the suicide note are Poppy Playtime, The Baby in Yellow, Evil Nun, Ice Cream Man (Ice Scream), and Ice Game

Decoding India’s biggest arms deal of 114 Rafale fighter jets from France

India is set to clear a Rs 3.25 lakh crore deal for 114 Rafale F4 fighter jets from France, its largest-ever combat aircraft purchase. The acquisition will reshape the Indian Air Force’s combat strength, boost indigenous manufacturing, and make India a global Rafale production and maintenance hub

Do new income tax draft rules make old tax regime more appealing?

The Centre has released the draft rules for the New Income Tax Act, 2025, which may make the old tax regime more attractive for some salaried employees. The government has proposed expanding the number of cities eligible for the higher 50 per cent House Rent Allowance (HRA) exemption to Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru